1. Field of the Invention
This invention pertains generally to lighter fluids and combustible liquids for use in starting barbecues, cooking fires and the like. More specifically, the invention is a clean burning lighter fluid composition and method which utilizes naturally occurring combustibles to provide for low volatile organic hydrocarbon (VOC) emission and a pleasant aroma during combustion.
2. Description of the Background Art
Outdoor cooking and the use of barbecues have long been popular activities. In order to facilitate the starting and combustion of cooking fires and barbecues, numerous ignition or “lighter” fluid compositions have been developed. The lighter fluid typically comprises a flammable hydrocarbon mixture which is spread over a bed of porous charcoal pieces and allowed to soak or penetrate into the porous charcoal. After suitable time for penetration of the fluid, the charcoal bed is ignited, and the lighter fluid is allowed to combust and burn away to leave a bed of coals suitable for cooking. Solid igniter compositions are also known, and typically comprise pieces of wax or hydrocarbon-impregnated material which is mixed with charcoal and ignited.
The presently known lighter fluid compositions for barbecue use have some important deficiencies. Lighter fluids generally present a safety risk associated with fire, and many lighter fluid compositions that provide a low flash point for easy ignition present a risk of fire and burns to users.
Another well known and pervasive problem with lighter fluids is the presence of a residual hydrocarbon odor which can permeate or otherwise affect the food cooked on the barbecue such that an unpleasant hydrocarbon odor and taste is imparted to the food. This problem arises from the nature of the hydrocarbon materials used in many lighter fluid composition. The hydrocarbon materials are petrochemical derived and often contain low volatility hydrocarbon, aromatic, and polycyclic aromatic compounds which do not fully combust, and thus can leave a residue on or around the charcoal which unpleasantly “flavors” the food that is subsequently cooked on the barbecue.
More recently, the emissions from the combustion of lighter fluids have become an important consideration. Large urban areas increasingly make efforts to prevent deterioration of air quality, and in many locations regulations are in place, or are being considered, which will effect outdoor cooking and the use of lighter fluids. Typical lighter fluid compositions result in substantial emission of volatile organic compounds or “VOCs” during combustion, and, because of these emissions, the use of many conventional lighter fluids may be limited or even banned in some regions.
There is accordingly a need for a lighter fluid composition and method which minimizes safety hazards associated with lighter fluid ignition, which does not leave an unpleasant hydrocarbon residue which affects the quality of barbecue-cooked food, which burns cleanly with low VOC emission, and which can be used in geographic areas subject to strict air quality control regulations. The present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the back ground art.